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Pedro is very old and happy to be alive. Ask him what his plans are for July 29 and his answer will surprise you squared. Pedro will be transported in an open coffin, with relatives as porters, through the streets of his village of Las Nieves. On the route from the church to the local cemetery and then back to the church, Pedro will find himself accompanied by a procession of fellow sufferers, all of whom make a tour of the Galician village in coffins.
The somewhat macabre ritual is part of the Santa Marta de Ribartena celebration. This is partly a procession with a deeply religious background and partly a curious celebration that, as so often in Spain, results in exuberant fireworks, singing, dancing and plenty of food and drink.
What inspired the villagers to perform this spectacle? The idea goes back to the beginning of the era when, according to the Bible, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The people in the coffins have in common that they all had a near death experience in the previous year. Their participation in the tour is a token of thanks to Santa Marta, the patron saint of resurrection. That is also the reason why a gigantic image of Santa Marta (the sister of Lazarus) has a prominent place in the procession.
Understandably, the tour of the village has a very modest character. The people are all dressed for a funeral and are constantly chanting the same phrase: "Virgin Santa Marta we bring to you those who faced death." The pious character of the party is rounded off around noon with a mass in the protruding village church. Thousands attend the church service outside thanks to many loudspeakers.
Because it is busy on the 29th of July. The village has about 4,000 inhabitants, but on this special day, a multitude of visitors come to Las Nieves to experience the strange celebration.
After the tour and the church service, the villagers shake off the gloomy part of the party to the rousing sounds of the various gypsy orchestras and the blasting fireworks. This gives the lucky survivors a chance to tell their story and share experiences with anyone who wants to hear it. Apparently, the details of their stories become more and more unbelievable as more alcoholic drinks flow.
